Part 10 (1/2)
”It's different, but to be honest with you, that's why I like it.” She slapped her bench and said, ”My dad made this shaving horse, but everything else I use is mine. That's how I met Bill in the first place. I needed a new froe, and he made me one out of a car spring.” Rachel frowned a moment, then added, ”Alex, I'm really worried about him.”
Alex looked over at the blacksmith, who was hammering a piece of steel into submission, a scowl plastered on his sweating face. ”What's wrong with him?”
”When he didn't show up here last night, I went back to his house and waited for him there. He didn't come home at all, and he won't talk to me this morning. Why can't he see I'm just trying to help?”
Alex had to measure his words carefully. ”Rachel, he's a grown man. Maybe he needs to work things out for himself.”
”Well, maybe he doesn't know what a good thing he has until he loses it,” she said abruptly. ”If he doesn't straighten up soon, he's going to find out, because I'm not going to be there for him if he keeps this up.”
”Would it help if I talked to him?” The last thing in the world Alex wanted to do was to come between the lovers, but he couldn't stop himself from making the offer.
Rachel considered it a moment, then said, ”No, you'd better not say anything to him. No offense, but you'd probably only make things worse.”
”If there's anything I can do, let me know.”
Alex watched her work the oak blank, drawing the metal across the wood with a sure and steady hand. It amazed him how much raw physical strength a traditional woodworker needed. It was a lot different than flicking on a power tool's switch, and he found a new admiration for someone with the ability to do things the old way.
Alex drifted away as the crowds started to come in and gather around the crafters. Shantara's gatekeeper must have collected the money early in an attempt to stem a rus.h.i.+ng tide.
If that was the case, she'd failed miserably. Alex couldn't believe all of the townspeople he saw. Shantara joined him as he watched many of the fair visitors head inexorably for the murder scene, bypa.s.sing the few craftspeople actually working.
Shantara came up beside him and said, ”You know, the smartest thing I did was to make every day require a different event ticket. I read on the Internet that a lot of organizers offer show pa.s.ses good for both days, but I didn't want the ha.s.sle of another ticket to keep track of. I'm getting people back I never expected to see out here again. At least there aren't any worries about the fair making money.”
Alex said, ”Shantara, a lot of the people might have come out to see the murder scene, but I'm willing to bet they'll stay for the craft demonstrations since they're already here. Your exhibitors are getting truck-loads of new exposure.” Before Shantara could cut him off, Alex added, ”I hate to see a murder committed here more than you could imagine, but we didn't have anything to do with it. It's no more my fault for rebuilding the Main Keeper's Quarters than it is yours for organizing this fair.”
”I suppose you're right, but I've got a confession to make, Alex.”
He leaned forward so he wouldn't miss a word. Shantara wrestled with telling him something, then changed her mind at the last second. Instead of whatever it was she'd been wanting to say, Shantara added limply, ”I'll be glad when this is over.”
”Shantara, is there anything you'd like to talk about? We could go into my office. You know I'm here for you, don't you?”
She looked tempted for a moment, then said, ”I'm sorry, Alex, there's just no time.” Almost whispering, she added, ”It's too late, anyway.”
Alex was about to press her further when Bill Yadkin yelled, ”Shantara! I need you over here. Now!”
She squeezed Alex's shoulder as she said, ”Sorry, I've got to go.”
”We'll talk later,” Alex said hopefully.
”Absolutely,” she answered with no conviction at all as she walked away.
Shantara's aborted confession left him troubled. He'd seen enough of the fair to last him a lifetime. Now that the exhibitors were into their day, Alex could work on the rooms, and in the process, perhaps discover something about what was really going on at Hatteras West.
Evans Graile was at his usual spot when Alex walked in. ”Morning, Evans. How are you today?”
”I'm ambivalent, my friend. I hate to see the fair end, it's been such a prime source of entertainment for me, but I do relish the last few moments of solitude at Hatteras West before I leave. I'll be checking out tomorrow.”
Alex was startled by the news. ”I didn't think your house would be done for another month.” Honestly, with the new construction bills triple what he'd expected, Alex had been glad for Evans's steady contribution to his financial well-being.
”The house won't be ready, but I'm growing restless here. I thought a European trip might be in order.”
It was nearly impossible for Alex to believe that this near shut-in was going on a tour of Europe! ”What made you decide to do something so drastic on the spur of the moment?”
Evans stared at his hands as he admitted, ”If you must know, it was Jefferson Lee's death.”
As Alex started to apologize, Evans said, ”No, dear boy, I don't blame you for what happened, not in the least. I didn't sleep at all last night. It finally sank in that someone was actually dead! That young man's murder just showed me that none of us know the number of our days left, and I'm not going to fritter away another minute sitting around watching the world pa.s.s me by! No, sir, I've spent enough time on the sidelines to last me the rest of my life.”
It was a statement filled with irony, considering the fact that Evans's eyes never left the crowds milling about outside as he spoke.
”Are you going on this trip alone?” Alex asked.
”No, I'm not quite up to that,” he admitted. ”I've invited my cousin Harry Roberts to go with me. We'll make it a bachelor tour and have a grand old time.” Alex knew Harry left the house even less than Evans did. He wondered if the two of them would even leave their hotel room once they arrived in Europe, but he admired their spirit.
”Well, we're going to miss you, Evans, but I hope you two have a wonderful trip.”
”I know we shall, Alex. Tell you what, I'll send you a postcard from the Tower of London. I've always wanted to go there, and I'm going to do it before I'm too old to enjoy the experience.” He rubbed his hands together vigorously. ”And high tea in England! I can hardly wait!”
The world was just full of surprises.
Alex got Elise's cart from the closet upstairs and started toward the first room on his list. He wanted to be certain he was out of Jenny's room before she came back.
Her bags were packed, and her door stood open. Alex was relieved that she was leaving. He'd had a secret fear she'd decide to stay on, and then he wasn't sure what he would do with her. Alex stripped the sheets and cleaned the room, then set everything right again for the next guest. Though he could barely tell the room had been occupied, he still gave it his normal, thorough cleaning. Alex prided himself on running a first-rate inn, something he shared with Elise, and he was determined not to let their high standards slip while she was away.
Rachel's bags were by the door as well, but it was obvious she hadn't even slept in her bed the night before. The towels were still fresh, and the seals in the bathroom were all still in place. She had indeed gone back into town, waiting on Bill Yadkin all night.
When he got to the room Craig and Marilynn shared, he knocked twice before using his pa.s.skey to open the door. Alex stood there in the doorway staring at the feminine shape lying motionless on the bed.
After all his earlier searching, he'd found Marilynn Baxter at last.
But was he too late?
Chapter 14.
Alex rushed to the bed. Had the killer struck again? If his pounding on the door hadn't stirred Marilynn, Alex knew she could be in serious trouble. He tried to shake her awake. ”Marilynn, are you all right? Marilynn!” As Alex leaned over the bed beside her, he found a prescription bottle, now empty, near one hand.
”Marilynn,” he shouted. Her eyelids seemed to flutter for a second before they stopped again. She was still alive!
Alex rushed to the telephone and called Doc Drake's office. He knew Doc usually liked to get an early start on the day.
”He's not here, Alex,” Madge the nurse told him. ”As a matter of fact, he said he was going to check out the fair before he started work today. I expect he's already out at your place. I'll be glad to beep him if you want.”
Alex slammed the phone down before she could say another word.
He tore down the stairs and nearly knocked Evans Graile down. ”Evans, go up to room number seven. Marilynn Baxter's overdosed on something.”
The man looked shocked by the news. ”What can I do for her?”